S1 Episode 07: The Lonesome Shapeshifter
by firebreathingfishies
Summary: The two travellers return to Ashley's town so she can pick up some stuff for the Tardis, but after being seperated for only a couple of hours, Ashley notices that the Doctor is acting very much out of character... COMPLETE
1. Sick Of It All

**A/N: Episode 7!! Eee we're past half way now lol! Brownie points for anyone who can tell which X-Files episode I stole... um, got the idea from :P I promise to not rush the ending of this one! I didn't have a proper plan laid out for the last story so I left myself confused. This one is planned perfectly, so unless it gets wiped, which it won't because I've backed it up 3 times or something xD it should run nicely.**

**This one has next to no angst, and is really just a fun story. So enjoy! :D**

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**Chapter One**

**Sick Of It All**

Gordon Downey pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger, took in a deep breath, and let it out slowly. He did it away from the mouthpiece of the phone so that the raving person on the other end didn't think he was doing it because of him. Which he was.

'Look, Mr Harris-' He tried to intervene, but it was no use.

'Don't _Mr Harris_ me, sunshine!' the angry caller yelled. Gordon had to move the phone away from his ear briefly it was so loud. 'I _want_ this bloody bill _cancelled_! You can't charge me fifty quid for something I didn't even _buy_!'

'It's a credit charge, Mr Harris,' Gordon told him through gritted teeth. 'If you haven't ordered anything in six months then it is automatic. I'm sorry but there's nothing I can do about it.'

'That's ridiculous!' Mr Harris bellowed. 'It's daylight bloody robbery! It's complete and utterly fu-'

He continued with a series of profanities and curses that Gordon was all too well accustomed with working at the call centre. People called him every day about the fifty-pound credit charge, and to be honest he had no idea how it worked anyway. All he could tell them was what the help book told him to tell them, and none of them took it well. So he spent a good three quarters of his day being yelled at like this. For five ninety an hour, it didn't seem worth it.

It was peculiar how everything seemed to come down to money here. He had lived as Gordon Downey for nearly a whole year now and humanity never failed to completely bemuse and intimidate him. They were an aggressive bunch for one thing. Spoilt rotten too. If things weren't going their way they were likely to shout, argue and fight until they got it their way. In extreme cases they declared war.

And all of it was down to money. What the hell was it anyway? A few shiny discs and pieces of paper. They hadn't had anything like that where he had come from. They traded things sometimes, but it never resulted in fights. Not that Gordon had ever seen anyway.

'Okay, okay Mr Harris,' he said finally. 'I'll put you through to the managing department and they might be able to help you.'

'About bloody ti-'

Gordon hung up and sat back with a loud sigh. He rubbed his face with both hands. He groaned when he realised it was only two o'clock. He didn't finish until five.

'Hey Gordie,' a voice came from the booth beside him. He looked up to see Terrance Jenkins peering over the partition. He pushed up his thick-rimmed glasses with a podgy finger. 'You should go for your half hour break before the dragon comes back.'

Gordon nodded and stood up. 'You haven't got any cigarettes, have you Terry?'

Terrance frowned vaguely. 'I don't smoke, Gordie.'

Gordon nodded. He couldn't understand that. Smoking was fantastic – he loved it. He didn't know why everyone was so disgusted by it. He knew for a fact back home the others would love it too. He planned on taking a whole crateful back with him.

Fortunately for him, he managed to acquire one outside from a young woman passing by. She looked mildly annoyed by his request, but she gave him one anyway. Gordon noticed that all smokers have a kind of sympathy for one another. They know how it feels to need a cigarette so if they have some to spare they will share. Some of them did anyway.

So Gordon stood outside his work building, squinting through the bright sunshine and puffing away on his cigarette and trying to figure out a way home. Like he spent every waking moment. His ship had been destroyed, and by now would be nothing but a rusted heap at the bottom of the English Channel. No hope of salvation for that. He needed a new ship, but on a planet where space travel was years away it was practically impossible. He knew they had rockets, but he would rather try and build a giant ladder into space than get into one of those death traps. Of all the planets in the universe to crash land on, why did he have to crash on Earth? On one of the most volatile and useless planets in the whole galaxy?

Just his bleeding luck.

And something else he noticed about this awful planet, there were so many strange and peculiar customs. Only yesterday he was heading home from work when there was a man in his path. He tried to step around him, but the man remained in his way. For thirty seconds thereafter the two of them danced from side to side in some queer meeting ritual. Eventually the man just patted him on the shoulder, laughed, and got past. It had left Gordon feeling so confused and disorientated that he had had to stop and have a cigarette in the middle of the street.

A whole year and things were still completely alien to him.

Sucking in a lungful of smoke, Gordon glanced around the street. There were a lot of people around at this time; most of them buying things with that money that caused so many problems. He didn't like it when it was so busy and he probably would have just remained inside if he had been allowed to smoke in there. Apparently there were fussy people who wanted him to go outside.

He stopped suddenly and widened his eyes. He felt a tingling in his ears, a tingling he got when there was something out of place nearby. There was something different in the atmosphere – something that didn't quite belong. Gordon scanned the area for anything out of the ordinary and finally noticed a couple passing by.

The man was tall with spiky brown hair and dressed in a long brown coat. The girl was shorter, with luminous red hair that was almost blinding in the sunshine. Gordon knew what they were just by looking at them. His kind had a sense for this kind of thing.

They were space travellers.

Which would mean they had a space ship.

Which could mean that Gordon may finally be able to get off this godforsaken rock.

He pitched his cigarette off to the right, ignoring the angry yell of someone who had almost been hit by it, and jogged into the crowd after the two travellers.


	2. Home Sweet Home

**Chapter Two **

**Home Sweet Home**

'2008 is really boring.' The Doctor frowned as he dodged an old woman carrying for too many grocery bags. 'Everyone is just living. You have your little miniature crises like Global Warming and stuff like that but there's nothing really _exciting_ happening. No progress in space travel, no exciting new inventions… I don't know how you managed to live here for so long.'

Ashley glanced up at him in amusement. 'Well I didn't really have that much of a choice. Until you came blundering along, of course.'

The Doctor frowned a little more as a couple of children ran between them. 'And everyone is so _rude_.'

'Coming from you.'

The Doctor looked offended. 'I'm not rude! Well… Okay well I _am_. But not intentionally.'

'Don't worry.' Ashley smiled as they turned the corner onto her street. 'We won't be here for long. I just want to pick up a few things. How long have I been away again?'

The Doctor glanced at his watch, which obviously told more than just the time. 'About… a month.'

Ashley winced. 'I hope Manny isn't too annoyed. But then again it's Manny. He's constantly annoyed.'

The Doctor caught sight of a small dog cocking its leg against the tire of a parked car and grimaced. 'What exactly are you getting?'

'Clothes mainly. A few bits and pieces.' She flashed him a grin. 'Seeing as I'm travelling full time in the Tardis then I have to add my own touch around the place.'

'That's what you think.' The Doctor snorted. He caught himself and forced a smile. 'Uh, I mean… that's fine. Absolutely fine. As long as there are no pink fairy lights coming out.'

'Then what am I supposed to do with my fluffy pink fairy lights?' Ashley pouted. From the Doctor's horrified look she had to laugh. 'I'm kidding, calm down. I won't make your precious Tardis all girly, don't worry. God you're a proper bachelor.'

'Well how do you think it would look if I had to visit someone really important; really high up in the ranks and I turned up in a Tardis covered in flowers and pictures of unicorns and pink fluffy fairy lights? I'd be laughed out into the depths of space. I'd never be able to show my face again. It was bad enough when I turned up with a piece of celery on my jacket.'

Ashley laughed. 'Well with that hair I'm surprised you haven't been laughed into the depths of space already.' She pushed open her garden gate and passed through.

'What's wrong with my hair?' The Doctor muttered, touching his hair gently.

'The words 'electric' and 'shock' spring to mind.' Ashley grinned, pulling her keys out of her pocket. 'But don't worry, you have that kind of startled look that goes along with it. It makes it work.'

The Doctor's mouth dropped open. 'What is this? What have I done to deserve such abuse?'

Ashley laughed and pushed her keys in the lock. 'I love you really.' She tried to turn them but they wouldn't budge. She frowned in bewilderment. 'Manny must have his keys in the lock.' She knocked on the door impatiently and crossed her arms. 'He always does that.'

'Well you can't exactly say he was expecting anyone. You've been gone for a month.'

'I live here too still. He could at least give it some consideration…' When she heard the door being unlocked from the other side she pushed it open, bumping into the person on the other side. 'You could have left the keys in the key bowl…' She stopped and looked at the little girl who was looking back at her with wide eyes. Ashley blinked at her, and then smiled as she walked past her into the hall. 'You must be Manny's little cousin. Is he around?'

The little girl just stared at her in bewilderment. The Doctor poked his head around the door and looked at the little girl. And then he looked around the corridor.

'Um… Ashley?' he said with a cocked eyebrow.

Ashley had already noticed. She looked around the hallway, which was different to when she had last been in it. There were photos all over the walls, all of a family she didn't recognise. She glanced down at the little girl and half frowned.

The little girl opened her mouth and yelled shrilly. '_Daddy_!'

Ashley looked at the Doctor in bemusement, but neither of them had a chance to say anything as a large bald man emerged from the living room. He looked at them both and they looked back. The little girl ran behind her dad.

'What the hell are you doin' in my house?' the man demanded angrily.

Ashley moved her head back, surprised. 'Excuse me?' she half laughed nervously. 'This is _my_ house. I live here. 56 Tavistock Avenue.'

The man moved forward quickly. 'I don't bloody think so.'

Ashley moved backwards quickly, bumping into the Doctor and pushing him back too. 'What?' she cried. 'This is _my_ house! I live here with Manny! Where's Manny! Where's my _stuff_?'

'Get the bloody hell out of my house you nutters!' the man yelled, shoving Ashley in the shoulder. She stumbled over the threshold and was caught by an equally bewildered Doctor. 'Bloody drug addicts aren't ya? Bloody hippies, scaring my daughter! I see you around here again and I'll call the police!'

The door slammed, shaking the windows. Ashley stared at the closed door, and at the new brass '56' that hung on the door.

'What?' she muttered. She frowned deeper. 'What?' She turned to the Doctor, who was completely taken aback. '_What_!?'


	3. Worldly Possessions

**Chapter Three **

**Worldly Possessions**

Ashley decided that she hated this café. This café meant nothing but trouble. Whenever she came here, something horrible happened. First time resulted in a near brain removal. Second time resulted in near _life_ removal. This third time apparently resulted in life removal too, but in material form.

'How could he move out and not tell me?' Ashley muttered, stirring her tea that was now lukewarm. 'I mean, really. What the hell has he done with all my things? I swear to god if he's hocked them or chucked them out I'll…' She trailed of to an incomprehensible and disgruntled mutter.

The Doctor eyed her for a moment, knowing that when she was in such an irate mood she got snappy. He had also learnt that a snappy Ashley was not a pleasant Ashley, and if she started yelling she probably wouldn't stop for a long time. He took a few moments to pick his next words carefully. 'Couldn't you just buy more… stuff?' By the look he got from her he knew he hadn't thought carefully enough.

'With what? My magic credit card?' she snapped irritably. 'I'll just rob a bank, shall I?'

'I just mean that maybe it's not all that bad, because…' He looked at her worriedly as she interrupted him angrily.

'Do _you_ have a box of money buried away somewhere that I could borrow?' she frowned sarcastically.

The Doctor stuck his lip out and shrugged. 'Well, it's not really for borrowing…' He caught himself. 'Of course not. Why would I need money?' He sipped on his tea and averted his gaze.

Ashley glared at him for a moment, but when she sighed her expression softened and her shoulders went limp. She pouted unhappily. 'All my photos, and clothes and stuff.' She looked down mournfully. 'My little pink pig.'

'I hope you mean a stuffed toy pig,' the Doctor said. 'Because my Tardis isn't a farmhouse you know.' He had been fishing for a smile, but she only continued look down at her tea with her bottom lip protruding. He sighed and leaned forward. 'Have you phoned Manny? Find out what's happened?'

Ashley leaned back and sighed. 'Yeah. He's on his way here now.'

'Then what's the problem?' The Doctor shrugged. 'I really doubt he's thrown out all of your things. It's not as if you died or anything.'

'You don't get it,' Ashley sighed. 'If you don't see Manny for a week you might as well be dead. He practically forgets about you. He'll have seen my stuff in the way and chucked it out without a second thought.'

The Doctor smiled at her. 'Even if he has, it's not all that bad, is it? It's just stuff. Easily replaced.'

Ashley glanced up at him and sighed. 'I suppose.' She mumbled, but didn't sound convinced. The Doctor patted her hand and smiled a little brighter. Eventually, she offered a weak smile in return. 'I'll just replace it with alien stuff, right? That'll be cooler anyway.'

'That's my girl.' The Doctor nodded, leaning back. 'And anyway, you don't really need a place if you're travelling with me, do you?'

She looked at him sideways and lowered one eyebrow. 'Well I will do eventually. It's not as if I'm going to be travelling with you forever, is it?'

He shrugged a little and his eyes gained an extra sparkle. 'Why not?'

'Well… You'll get sick of me.'

The Doctor scoffed and opened his mouth to respond, but the sound of the café door opening with a _tinkle_ behind them caught both of their attentions. Ashley glanced around to see Manny striding towards her, looking different. He had cut his hair. And bleached it for some godforsaken reason. He looked pretty annoyed, and as she rose to meet him her expression matched his. They both snapped at each other at exactly the same time.

'Where the hell have you been?'

'Where the hell is my stuff?'

They both stopped and looked at each other, frowning. The Doctor looked between them for a moment, and then stood up. 'Tell you what,' he beamed at the two of them. 'I'm going to go for a little walk. Fresh air, clear my head, all that stuff.' He nodded. 'I'll catch up with you later.'

'Oh so you're not going to go chasing after your new boyfriend again then,' Manny hissed at Ashley as the Doctor quickly passed behind him. 'You seemed to drop everyone else for him.'

'Oh that's so you, Manny,' Ashley cried. 'If it's not about you then it's selfish.'

The Doctor slipped out of the door unnoticed, and breathed a sigh of relief to have avoided the argument. He glanced both ways up the bright street and then headed away with his hands buried in his pockets. About ten minutes or so would do, he thought. And that would probably be enough time to see the sights of this small, boring town.

He walked amiably, unaware that he was being followed.

* * *

After about five minutes, Ashley and Manny had sat down, and had also calmed down. Ashley cradled her cold tea and peered at Manny, who was checking his reflection in the window and preening his hair with a grimace.

'I'm not sure if it works.' He said. 'I mean, I know I suit blonde… but this is a bit bright.'

'It looks okay.' Ashley replied with a shrug. 'I mean, if you're into the whole bimbo look.'

Manny shot her an irritated look, but it slowly morphed into a smile. 'I missed you.' He pouted. 'Why were you gone for so long? You didn't say bye or anything.'

Ashley shrugged her shoulders. 'It was a bit… crazy last time I was home.' She replied. 'We uh… had things to do.'

'Where have you been anyway? I know you've been travelling and all that but to _where_ exactly? You've got no money. You only took a single bag of clothes.' He peered under the table. 'Please say you've washed those jeans since the last time you were here.'

Ashley chuckled. 'It hasn't been as long for me. Only seems like a couple of days since we last spoke.'

'Yeah? Well it's been about two months.'

'The Doctor said it was only a month.'

Manny scrunched up his nose. 'What's that 'doctor' thing all about anyway? Does he like you calling him that? Does he get kicks out of it or something?'

Ashley laughed. 'It's just his name. I'd love to have seen his face if he'd heard that.' She glanced around. 'Where did he go anyway?'

Manny shrugged. 'God knows.' He paused. 'I thought he'd axe murdered you or something you know. Eddy's been going around telling everyone that he tried to kill him.'

'On my God, really?' Ashley threw her head back and laughed, drawing curious looks from the other customers. 'All he did was tell him to get lost! You should have seen him high-tail it out of here.'

Manny grinned. 'Well no one believed him anyway. Apparently Henry Wilson saw them both in here and said that your boyfriend totally kicked arse.'

'He's not my boyfriend, Manny.' Ashley told him with a disapproving frown. 'He's just a friend.'

'Whatever.' Manny rolled his eyes. 'You can't hold anything past me. I understand these whirlwind romances you know. You meet someone and feel like you're meant to be together, and then run off to the hills to frolic amongst the daffodils. Then one morning about two months later you wake up, look at each other, and go your separate ways without a word. Happens. You're not an exception.'

Ashley looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, and then shook her head. 'There's nothing _romantic_ about it, Manny. Seriously, we're just friends doing a bit of travelling. He does it all the time and he said I could tag along.'

'Did he say how long for?'

'Well, he was kind of going to say something before you turned up…'

Manny sat back and snorted. 'Sounds to me like he makes a habit of picking up girls and taking them 'travelling'. I mean, he's older than you, right? He must be about forty.'

Ashley rolled her eyes. 'Not this again. Manny there's no way he looks forty.'

'Anyway, he's older than you, and that's what I'm getting at. Older men don't just pick girls up as 'friends' to travel with them, Ashes. I bet if you ask him he's had a dozen other 'friends' travelling with him. And where are they now? He got sick of them, like he'll probably get sick of you and dump you in the middle of a field somewhere.'

Ashley looked slightly stricken by this thought, although the field she was picturing was somewhere in the 1700s. 'Well he did mention Rose, but he didn't exactly get sick of her…'

'See? Ask him and I bet he's had hundreds of 'friends'.' He returned his attention to the window and pulled at his hair. 'I give it about a week. That's if he even comes back.'

Ashley glanced out of the window worriedly. He wouldn't do that. She frowned and looked to Manny. He didn't know the Doctor at all. The Doctor wasn't just some sleaze out for kicks. She had travelled with him for a while now and he had _never_ made any form of move on her. He liked to call her 'my girl', but that was just affectionate. Nothing in that. At least she hoped not.

'You're avoiding the important subject.' She frowned, pushing the thoughts to the back of her mind to be picked at later. 'What did you do with all my stuff?'

Manny glanced at her and then sighed. 'I might be a bitch, but I'm no monster.' He turned to face her and shrugged. 'Your stuff's in my shed at home. I knew you'd reappear at some point so I guessed you'd be pretty annoyed if I gave it to Oxfam or something.'

'Damn right I'd be annoyed.' Ashley frowned. 'Not that I have a problem with charities or anything but… you know.'

'Well you're more than welcome to come and pick it up at any time.' He eyed her for a moment. 'You're not leaving straight away though, are you?'

She regarded him for a moment. She did miss Manny, they had been close friends for years now and she had never been away from him for longer than a week at a time. She supposed spending a little time with him before they shot off again wouldn't hurt. And surely the Doctor wouldn't mind.

'I suppose we can head off tomorrow,' she smiled. 'Although there's one problem.'

Manny cocked an eyebrow. 'And what's that?'

'I'm homeless.'

The two of them laughed loudly. Manny waved his hand, still sniggering. 'You can stay at mine tonight. I have that cot bed thing and there's the couch.' He pointed a finger at her and rose his eyebrows. 'But only on one condition. That there's no hanky panky. I don't want to be woken up at the crack of dawn by you two in the next room.'

Ashley reached across the table and shoved him in the shoulder. 'Shut up, Manny,' she frowned. 'I'm not going to tell you again that he's not my boyfriend.'

Manny shrugged and glanced back to his reflection. 'He's not your type anyway.' He remarked. 'He's too skinny.'


	4. Contact

**A/N: I now offically love Gordon Downey xD He's one of those characters that just slip through the net and come to life a bit, and I love him. I don't know why, I just had to say that lol!**

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**Chapter Four **

**Contact**

Gordon had been following the man in the brown trench coat for almost ten minutes and he still couldn't think of a way to get close to him. He knew that it wouldn't be long before he went back to that red haired girl – she was obviously going to be waiting for him – so he had to think of something fast.

Speaking of fast, the man was a fast walker and being the heavy smoker that he was, Gordon was having trouble keeping up. It would look mighty suspicious if he finally reached him and was gasping for breath. The man in the coat turned the corner and Gordon picked up the pace, pushing past a young woman who yelled angrily after him. He ignored her and turned the corner.

'Crap.' He muttered when he couldn't see the man anyway. He couldn't have lost him! Not now! He had only just walked onto this street, he couldn't have just _vanished_-

No wait, there he was. He was looking in a shop window. Gordon wetted his lips and racked his brain for a plan. He glanced around for inspiration and then saw it in the shape of a small red Volvo parked up an alleyway to his right. He grinned and ran towards it. He glanced around, checking the coast was clear, and then quickly let some of the air out of one of the tires. He stood up and turned to leave.

'He's not going to want to help a gormless bloke,' he muttered, glancing down at himself. He thought for a moment, and then closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, he had long black eyelashes and long luscious brown hair. He glanced down at his new slinky female figure, bound in a white strappy dress, and smiled happily. 'Perfect.'

Gordon, now a woman, hurried out onto the street and looked both ways for the man in the coat. Thankfully he was still looking in the window at something apparently very fascinating. Gordon hurried over, finding it hard to keep his balance in the high heels that he had morphed into. Someone whistled at him, but being still a little ignorant to Earth customs, he didn't know quite what it meant. Finally he reached the man in the coat. He smoothed down his hair, stuck out his chest, and tapped on the man's shoulder.

'Um, excuse me?'

The man turned around, a friendly smile already on his face. 'Hello.' He smiled, his expression barely changing at the sight of her. 'You should have a look at these cakes.' He turned back to the window and pointed at the glass. 'They're fascinating. You see how some detailed that little marzipan flower is?'

Gordon cocked a perfectly plucked eyebrow and peered over his shoulder. All he could see was pointlessly decorated food. Waste of time if you were just going to eat it. 'Um, yeah. I'm wondering if you could help me?' He twirled his hair around his finger the way the pretty human girls did on TV.

The man turned fully and smiled again, pushing his hands in his pockets. It troubled Gordon that he didn't seem at all affected by his new appearance. He knew that all the other human men passing were eyeing him up.

'I'd be happy to help,' the man smiled broadly. 'What's the problem?'

'Well it's my car,' Gordon fluttered his eyelashes, feeling sickened by the way he was acting. 'One of the tires is flat. I have a spare in the boot, but I can't change in on my own. I've been asking loads of people but everyone here is so sodding _rude_.' He feigned an upset expression.

The man smiled. 'You're telling me. I'd love to help.' He held out a hand. 'I'm the Doctor, by the way.'

Gordon smiled and reached out to shake his hand back. 'Gor… Georgina.' His hand wrapped around the other mans and suddenly he jerked. Information tunnelled through him and two words flashed blindingly in his mind.

_Time Lord_.

Gordon gasped. The man, who was apparently called the Doctor, looked at him worriedly. 'Are you okay?' he asked.

Gordon nodded and managed a smile. 'Yes. Yes, thanks. I just… heartburn. I've just had my lunch.'

The Doctor smiled. 'Where's this flat tire then?'

Gordon turned and led him across the street, suddenly feeling nervous. A Time Lord? That couldn't be right. All of them were supposed to be dead. But yet here one was, following him across the street. His ship wouldn't be far. His Tardis… Time Lords had Tardis'. Oh Gordon had always wanted to see a Tardis. His heart began to pound. Tardis' to him were like Ferraris to human boys. He was fascinated by them. He knew so much about them he could probably _drive_ one if the opportunity arose.

And apparently, the opportunity _was_ arising.

'Here it is,' Gordon said, showing him the car. 'I don't know what could have happened. I only left it for a minute or two.'

The Doctor squatted by the tire and examined it. 'Well it doesn't seem to have a puncture… probably just some kids letting the air out or something.'

Gordon picked up a nearby pipe and advanced on the Doctor.

'Where's this spare tire then? We can have it on in a jiff-'

Gordon whacked him hard around the back of his head. With a hollow _clunk_ from the pipe, the Doctor slumped onto his side, unconscious. Gordon quickly morphed back into his regular human body and then started to drag the unconscious Time Lord deeper into the alley.

* * *

**Poor Doctor :( You'd think he'd have learned his lesson on turning his back on people by now. How many times is it? He got hit around the head in Ep 1... and in Ep 4... and Ep 5... lol I never realised I knocked him out so much xD**


	5. Heart to Heart

**A/N: FILLER!! xD**

* * *

**Chapter Five **

**Heart to Heart**

Ashley pushed the 'end call' button on her mobile phone with an angry snarl. Manny glanced over his shoulder at her briefly and then turned back and continued to pour her a glass of wine. It didn't matter than it was only about three in the afternoon. The pair of them could drink wine at any time.

'Not answering?' he asked knowingly.

Ashley dropped her phone angrily on the table and frowned. 'He gives me a phone to call him, and then whenever I need to speak to him he doesn't answer! I mean, what the hell is the point in that?' She picked it up again and checked it for scratches. 'He might as well have given me a bloody cabbage.'

Manny sat down opposite her at the kitchen table and pushed a large glass of red wine to her. 'He might have left already.' He said.

'Stop saying that.' Ashley replied bitterly, picking up the glass. 'He wouldn't just leave. I mean… he nearly did. Once. But that was before… Well, it's complicated. I just know he wouldn't leave like that.'

Manny raised an eyebrow at her. 'Before what? And you kept telling me you were just friends.'

Ashley blushed furiously. 'Look, Manny. Not everything is…' She lowered her voice. '_Sex_ involved, okay?'

'You don't have to whisper it!' he laughed. 'You've always been like that.'

'So what if I don't think it's a subject people should be constantly talking about. Like you do. I'm not going to tell you again that nothing is going on. I don't care what you think.' She picked up the glass and took a deep drink.

'Is it not weird with him being so skinny?'

Ashley choked on her wine. 'Manny!'

'Okay, okay!' Manny laughed, raising his hands. 'I'm just winding you up. I'll drop it, I promise. Although I'll be watching when he comes back. I can sense these things you know.'

'You're bloody obsessed.' Ashley grumbled, wiping the wine from her chin. She paused and glanced around. 'Anyway… This is a nice place you've got. How much?'

'About three hundred a month.' Manny shrugged. 'Just the right size for me. It's weird living on my own though.'

'Why didn't you have Peter move in? You two were getting along well.'

'Peter?' Manny cried dramatically. 'Oh _God_ no! He was so needy. I couldn't even have a night in on my own without him calling me constantly and crying that I was off meeting other people. I have no time for men like that.'

'The last time I saw you you were both fine!' Ashley laughed. 'You sharp changed your tune.'

'Yeah well, a lot has changed.'

Ashley averted his gaze. 'I've only been gone two months.' She mumbled.

'Yeah, but we've been together since college, Ashley. We've been near inseparable. I know I'm not easy to live with and everything and we didn't see each other as much but I didn't expect you to just up and _leave_ without so much as a note to where you had gone. It's a good job your mum's in the nuthouse or else she probably would have been out of her mind. Pardon the pun.'

Ashley shot an irritated look at him. She didn't like it when he brought up her mother. He always acted like it must be embarrassing for her to have a parent locked away in a mental institution. It was more upsetting. He didn't get that. 'It was… well… unexpected.'

'You're telling me.' Manny sulked. 'How the hell did he convince you do go with him anyway? He must have something good hidden away.'

'Again with the sexual innuendo! What's wrong with you?'

Manny shrugged. 'It's been a slow month.'

Ashley leaned back in her chair with a heavy sigh and picked up the phone. 'Maybe if I call the Tardis phone and leave a message…'

'Tardis?'

She blinked, realising what she had said. 'It's uh… He names his phones. He has a few of them.'

Manny let it slide and snorted. 'Stop dodging the subject.' He reached out and took the phone from her. 'Where did you go? What did he have that was so spectacular for you to drop your friends and your job and run off with him?'

Ashley snatched the phone back irritably. 'It's complicated.'

'You keep telling me how complicated it is!' Manny yelled, annoyed now. 'You think I won't understand or something? Do you think I'm stupid? Is that what it is?'

Ashley sighed heavily into her hands. 'I don't think you're stupid.'

'Then just _tell_ me! I think that's the least you can do.'

She looked at him for a few moments, trying to think of a convincing lie. There was no way that she was going to tell him that she had been travelling through time and space in a wooden box with an alien. He would be onto the phone to the nuthouse in minutes and getting her sectioned alongside her mother. The only way she could get him to drop the subject was to tell him that there _was_ something going on between them, but there _wasn't_. If the Doctor came back and she told him that she had to tell Manny they were seeing each other to stop him asking questions he would probably understand, but that wasn't the point. It would be embarrassing. Or unless she didn't tell him at all and just told Manny to keep his mouth shut.

'Fine.' She sighed finally. 'We're kind of seeing each other.'

Manny hooted loudly. 'I _knew_ it! I just _knew_ it! The way you look at each other.' He shook his head, grinning. 'Ashley Chambers you complete and utter _skank_ you!'

Ashley looked up, jaw unhinged. 'What? Hey!'

'Running off with an older man.' Manny slapped his hand on the table and laughed loudly. 'I never pictured you like that! I bet he's got a family. Is he married? Does he have kids?'

Ashley was taken aback by the sudden barrage of questions. She decided she would have rather told him the 'flying through time and space in a wooden box with an alien' story. 'What? I don't know. No! Of course he hasn't!'

'Well is he rich? He must have a lot of money to take you travelling like that.'

Ashley frowned. 'I don't know. I just-'

'Are you a gold digger, Ashley?'

Ashley stood up angrily and marched for the door. 'Forget this, Manny. I'm going. Just chuck my stuff out, I don't care.'

Manny's chair scraped on the floor as he chased after her. 'No, wait. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be like that.' He grabbed her arm. 'Don't go, please. I get weird when I'm on my own for too long.'

Ashley eyed him for a moment, and then managed a smile. 'You're always weird, you dodge pot.'

Manny pulled her into a tight hug. 'I've missed you.'

Ashley hugged him back tightly. 'I've missed you too.'

He got her by the shoulders and held her at arms length. 'Just tell me one thing.' He said, face solemn. 'Is he treating you right?'

She half smiled. 'Yeah. He's treating me better than anyone in the universe.'

Manny regarded her for a moment longer and then smiled. 'Good. Then everything is fine.' He turned and sat back at the table. 'I just don't want to see you hurt.'

Ashley smiled fondly at him and then looked at the phone. 'I'll try him once more.' She said. 'If he doesn't answer, I'll leave him a message on the Tar… his other phone and then we'll grab a bottle of wine and watch Dirty Dancing.'

Manny beamed happily. 'But you hate Dirty Dancing.'

She shrugged as she pressed the call button on the phone and put it to her ear. 'For old time's sake.'


	6. Getting to Know You

**A/N: I nearly forgot about this chapter. Wrote it last night and then just mosied off to watch Torchwood. Talk about freakin' distraction.**

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**Chapter Six **

**Getting to Know You**

The Doctor's head hurt. A lot. He groaned and groggily opened his eyes, but he saw nothing but blackness. He blinked a couple of times, but only achieved in making his headache worse. He tried to lift his arms up but was surprised to find that his arms were bound by his sides. No, actually, there was no surprise there. He felt a surge of annoyance.

'You've got to be _kidding_ me!' he cried. 'Seriously! Tied to a chair, _again_? Do people want me brain damaged or something? I mean come on! I don't think I've ever been knocked out as much as I have been in the past few weeks!'

There was a shuffle in the darkness and he swung his head around to the sound.

'Who is that? How would you like it if I beat you around the head with a stick a few times? Eh? It's bloody rude that's what it is! Someone could at least use some chloroform or something! Do you know how much damage one blow to the head can do?'

The light came on suddenly and he squinted his eyes. He saw a figure tentatively approaching and he readied himself for another angry outburst. Only as soon as his eyes adjusted, he found himself completely speechless, which was a rarity for the Doctor.

His mirror image cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. 'So is that what kind of man you are?' the second Doctor enquired. 'Angry.' He looked thoughtful. 'I think I can do angry.'

The Doctor, the _real_ Doctor, blinked stupidly. 'What?'

'I'm really sorry about this,' the impostor said, wincing apologetically. He straightened up and pushed his hands in his pockets. 'I wouldn't have been so horrible about it, but I really doubted you would come down here even if I _was_ disguised as a hot supermodel. And well… I'm kind of desperate.'

The Doctor just continued to stare, mouth ajar.

'It would be nice if you said something.'

'_What_?'

'I said it would be nice if you said-'

'I heard you!' The Doctor finally found his voice, and it came with force. 'Who the hell are you? Why do you look like me? I've been knocked out and tied up three times now! Four if you include this one! It's just bloody _rude_!'

The impostor raised his hands and widened his eyes. 'Whoa, look… calm down please. I said I'm sorry. I just-'

'Oh you'll be sorry. As soon as I get out of this chair you'll be _really_ sorry.'

'Now hey! There's no need for threatening behaviour. I think I'm being very nice about this. We're all friends here.'

'_Friends_?'

'Don't make me gag you.'

The Doctor opened his mouth to yell some more, and then decided against it. It wouldn't be very good if he were gagged too. That would just add to the humiliation. He couldn't believe he had been taken off guard _again_. When Ashley found out about this she would…

'Oh god… Ashley…' he moaned.

'That's the red head, right?' the impostor asked, one eye narrowed. He ran his fingers through the brown spiky hair that was exactly the same as the Doctor's and shrugged. 'She's pretty.'

'You leave her alone.'

'Believe it or not I'm not doing this to steal your girlfriend. I wouldn't do it if I had any other option I swear, I just need to get home.'

'Who… no, I'm sorry… _What_ are you?'

The impostor Doctor looked offended. 'You were right the first time when you said _who_. I might not be human, but I still have feelings. Oh yeah, you're a Time Lord, aren't you. All of you are bloody rude and obnoxious.'

The Doctor's eyebrows shot up. 'Excuse me?'

'I'm Gordon. At least that's what I've been calling myself these days. My real name is Gorealackanomeous, but that's a bit of a mouthful. Gordon will do.'

'How do you know I'm a Time Lord?' The Doctor asked, but before Gordon had a chance to respond he cried out. 'Of course! You're a Shifter! When you shook my hand you absorbed some of my knowledge…'

Gordon slow clapped him. 'Well done, Mr Fantabulous Time Lord.' He grimaced and shook his head. 'And I _hate_ the term Shifter. I prefer Body Borrower.'

'What are you doing here on Earth?' The Doctor asked, his anger temporarily forgotten. 'You lot live on the other side of the universe. You hardly ever leave your solar system!'

Gordon examined his new hands. 'Well I was on one of those Space Tour things, you know where they take you to the six corners of the universe and show you all of the sights. Fantastic it was. That was until…' He paused, frowning at his hands. 'Your hands are different.'

The Doctor shrugged. 'Yeah… that's… a long story.'

Gordon nodded and pushed his hands back in his pockets. 'Where was I? Oh yeah… well we were hanging around over Earth and a few of us went out in the pods to get a closer look, you know? And we got hit by this bloody great big chunk of metal. Apparently they're called _satellites_. They use them to monitor space or something, can you believe that? If it's not bad enough they'll filled their own rotten planet up with junk they've got to send it into space too.'

'Tell me about it,' the Doctor replied, rolling his eyes. 'The amount of times I've been coming down into Earths atmosphere and gotten bashed into by one of those things. My Tardis has got more scrapes and dents coming to Earth than anywhere else.' He stopped and caught himself. 'What am I on about? Let me go!'

Gordon winced apologetically again. 'I'm _really_ sorry, but I can't do that. You see, if I spend another waking moment here I'm going to end up tossing myself off a bridge. Seriously, it's _awful_. I have to talk to rude people so I get some paper to give to the man that owns my flat so I can sleep at night. I hate it. I want to go home and as soon as I saw you I knew you had a ship. And when you shook my hand…' He laughed. 'And I realised you have a _Tardis_! My God, do you know how long I've wanted to see a real live Tardis for? I had pictures of the Type 57 on my bedroom wall!'

The Doctor half nodded. 'I really should have upgraded to a Type 57.'

'It's going to be so exciting to get inside of one. I mean, I've basically been waiting all my life to see one for real.' Gordon bounced and clapped his hands. Seeing himself act in such a way made the Doctor feel ill. 'It's going to be _awesome_!'

'So basically,' the Doctor frowned. 'You're planning on taking my Tardis to get back home. You really don't want to do that.'

Gordon waved his hand dismissively. 'Oh I do. And before I go I'll need the keys.'

The Doctor jerked back, but his movements were restricted by the ropes. 'Don't you _dare_.'

Gordon shrugged and searched the Doctors pockets. 'As soon as I get bored with it I'll send it back to you, I promise.' His hand emerged with the Tardis key and he grinned at it. 'God I'm so _excited_!'

'Look,' The Doctor said, getting desperate. 'If you just let me go I'll take you home, I promise. I'll even let you hold the controls for a bit. Just… don't take my Tardis.'

Gordon moved to a dusty mirror on the other side of the room and checked his new reflection. 'Yeah right,' he replied, pulling a few faces as he spoke. 'I'll untie you and you'll beat me up and take the key back or something. I'm not that stupid.'

'I won't, I promise.' The Doctor insisted. 'I'll take you back right now. Straight away. Right outside your door. If you try and drive the Tardis you'll only end up damaging it.' He paused, and then added hastily. 'Or hurting yourself.'

Gordon turned on his side and grimaced at his reflection. 'You're a bit skinny. And your hair's stupid.'

'I am _not_ skinny!' The Doctor cried. 'I… I do a lot of running. And there's nothing wrong with my hair.'

Gordon patted down the spiky hair on the top of his head and watched it spring back into place. 'Could be worse I suppose.'

The Doctor rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. 'Well this is just great, isn't it?'

Gordon turned to him and shrugged. 'Sorry, mate. I'll send it back to you, I promise. And don't worry about getting stuck in here forever. The caretaker will be here in about…' He glanced at his watch. 'Forty eight hours? You'll probably get a bit stiff and hungry but… well, you'll just have to put up with it. He'll let you out eventually.'

'Gordon, don't do this.' The Doctor pleaded. 'Let me go before this gets out of hand.'

Gordon opened his mouth to reply, but the Doctor's phone ringing cut him off. Gordon had it in his pocket, so he pulled it out. 'Christ she phones you a lot, doesn't she? Is she one of those girls who has to check on you every ten minutes?'

'Gordon, please. I'm begging you.'

Gordon ended the call and dropped the phone in his pocket. 'I'll call her back. Might pay her a visit actually…' He glanced at his watch again. 'Might as well enjoy my last day on Earth. Even if I do hate it. Sorry about all of this again, you're a nice bloke.' He headed for the door.

'Gordon!'

'Thanks,' Gordon nodded, giving the Doctor one of his own beaming grins. 'You've really helped.'

'Gordon! Gordon get back here!'

Gordon closed the door and a click of a lock followed. The Doctor yelled for a good hour after he had gone, but no one came to let him out.


	7. Three Little Words

**A/N: This is just a short little chapter. I'd like to remind everyone that Ashley is a bit thick too :P**

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**Chapter Seven **

**Three Little Words**

Ashley sat slumped on the couch, her eyelids threatening to close at any moment. On the TV, Patrick Swayze lifted Jennifer Grey high into the air, drawing a whimper from Manny. Why the hell had she suggested watching _Dirty Dancing_? All that whizzing through time and space must have melted her brain a little. She took a sip from her fourth glass of wine and sighed a little. She wasn't drunk, she just had a splitting headache. She was too busy worrying where the Doctor had gotten too to get drunk.

'I don't see how you can't love this movie,' Manny said, shaking his head. 'It's fabulous.'

'It's a load of crap.' Ashley muttered into her glass before finishing off the wine. She grimaced at the taste – Manny hadn't exactly gotten out a bottle of his finest – and forced herself to sit forward and put the empty glass on the table. 'I'm going to try phoning the Doctor again.'

'Just face it,' Manny replied, half distracted by the ending film. 'He's left you.'

Ashley shot him and irritated look and got to her feel, grimacing at her stiff legs. She shook them both in turn, and then headed into the corridor. Her head was throbbing actually. As soon as she had gotten through to the Doctor and told him where she was, she was going to go to sleep. If Manny gave him an earful when he finally arrived then she didn't care. It would serve him right for disappearing for so long.

She just found his number on the phone book when the phone came to life in her hand. She blinked at the glowing screen for a moment, unable to register that it read, 'Incoming Call: Doctor'. She hesitated, mostly out of confusion, and then answered it.

'Doctor?'

'Hello!' He sounded overly happy. 'You were phoning me?'

Ashley frowned, suddenly annoyed. 'Yes I was phoning you! Where the hell have you been? You said you were only going to be ten minutes! That was…' She glanced at her watch. 'Four hours ago! I had to watch Dirty Dancing! It had been my idea… but still!'

There was a pause on the other end. 'Oh right. You were waiting for me. Uh… I kind of forgot.'

'Oh thanks.' Ashley frowned. 'That's very nice of you. Well I'm at Manny's house now. We're going to stay here for the night if that's okay with you, and then we can move my stuff to the Tardis in the morning.'

'And Manny is…?'

Ashley blinked. What the hell was wrong with him? 'My old housemate?' she reminded him. 'He came into the café just as you left. God what have you been doing, Doctor? Are you drunk?'

'Yes!' he said, a little too keenly. 'Yes I've been drinking. Drinking a lot actually. Which is why I'm acting so strangely and forgetting everything.'

Ashley didn't know what to say for a moment. 'Well I… uh…' She paused, completely stumped. She hadn't expected that kind of response.

'Okay, well if you give me Manny's address I'll come around now. Do you want me to bring anything back with me? Pizza?'

Ashley rubbed her head, which was now threatening to explode. 'If you want too.' She sighed. 'Just… get here quick, okay?' She told him Manny's address and went to hang up, but what the Doctor said next made her stop still.

'Okay, see you just now honey. I love you.'

'Um… what?'

There was a bemused silence down the other end. 'Err… what?'

'You better not have just said what I thought you said.'

'Well…' He sounded genuinely confused. 'I thought because you're moving in that… Are we not at that stage yet?'

Ashley couldn't get any words out. Eventually, she managed to choke out a reply. 'Are you winding me up?'

A pause. 'Of course I am! You don't think I meant that, did you? Ha, no I'm just pulling your leg. I'll see you in a bit.'

With that, the Doctor hung up. Ashley listened to the silence for a moment, before looking at her phone in confusion. She blinked, shook her head, and hoped that the Doctor will have sobered up by the time he got back.


	8. Infatuation

**A/N: I'm having the most fun writing this one than I've had with any of the other stories xD Gordon has secured a special place in my favourite characters vault :p Sorry to bang on but... I think I love him xP**

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**Chapter Eight **

**Infatuation**

Gordon stumbled over his new, bigger feet for the fourth time since leaving the Time Lord locked in the basement of an old office block street streets back. He cursed lightly. That was one of the things he hated about 'Body Borrowing', as he liked to call it. It took a while to get used to the new body parts. Some of them had a naturally clumsy physique, which was annoying. This one however, the Doctor, had a natural grace about him. Gordon was just finding it hard to find it.

He had stopped outside the call centre where, a few hours ago, he had been getting abuse from an irate customer called Mr Harris. It had been where he had first seen the Doctor and his friend. Ashley, her name was apparently. It had been the only place he could think of to start looking for the Tardis. He hadn't bothered asking the Doctor because… well, there's no way he would have told him. He had hoped to find it before nightfall, but it was starting to get dark and he had already been told to get back by a woman he hadn't even met yet.

He had screwed up royally on the phone though. He had immediately assumed that they had been in a relationship, especially when she started talking about moving her stuff to the Tardis. By her reaction he instantly knew that it wasn't the case at all. He needed to find out what she knew before he did anything else. He didn't want to be rumbled straight away. Shifters had a useful ability that went hand in hand with their 'body borrowing' abilities. With one touch they could share a small amount of another beings knowledge. Not everything, but just enough to make it easier to pass themselves off as that person. They could only know what that person knew. The Doctor had had a lot buried away. All he had found out about him was that he was a Time Lord, and that he had been craving a banana split when he had shook his hand.

A Time Lord that liked bananas. As if _that_ wasn't a rarity.

After a while Gordon had given up searching for the Tardis and set about finding the address Ashley had given him. It didn't take long to find as Terrance Jenkins from the call centre lived on the same street. He located number fifteen, and then walked down the small garden path and knocked on the door. He ran his fingers through his hair, checked his breath on his palm. Grimaced.

The door opened and a strange looking fellow with bleached hair looked back at him sceptically. Gordon recognised him from the café and instantly deducted that this must have been Manny. He beamed broadly.

'Manny!' he cried happily, pulling the bewildered man into a hug. 'Nice to see you again!' On contact, he was pleased to discover that it _was_ Manny. But he wasn't pleased to discover than Manny didn't like him, and was a little confused to discover that Manny was enjoying the hug. He let go of him and stepped back. He glanced over his shoulder to see Ashley standing a little further up the corridor, half a glass of wine in her hand, a bemused look on her face and looking stunning in a pair of purple pyjama bottoms, a black v-top and huge Scooby-Doo slippers. He stepped past Manny and moved towards her, grinning.

'You're not drunk, are you?' Ashley asked, half frowning. 'Because you're a weird drunk, as I discovered from your completely baffling phone call.'

Gordon took her shoulders, still grinning. 'You know that gin and tonics make me crazy!'

He quickly compiled the information he received from her in the short amount of time between grabbing her arms and her shrugging him away. Her name was Ashley, he knew that, she had been travelling with the Doctor for nearly a month now – so they hadn't known each other long. They _weren't _a couple at all, but she had told Manny that to stop him asking more questions and she was embarrassed to mention it. She also really wanted to go and try out Manny's backscratcher that she had seen in the front room.

And there was something else. Something buried, but blatantly obvious at the same time…

'Who the hell were you drinking gin and tonics with?' she frowned, walking away into the front room.

Gordon pulled off the huge brown trench coat – he hated it, but he supposed he would have to put up with it for the time being – and draped it over the banister behind him. He nodded to Manny. 'You don't mind if I put this here, do you?'

Manny shrugged. 'Do whatever you like.' He replied. He squeezed past him and headed into the kitchen. 'I suppose I'll have to offer you a drink.'

Gordon shrugged. 'Um… just a glass of water please.' He watched the peculiar blonde man for a moment, and then followed Ashley into the front room. She was sitting on the couch with her feet on the coffee table. He stopped and watched her. He hadn't realised how pretty she was when he had seen her passing in the street. And her _hair_… it was _beautiful_…

'You don't mind staying here tonight, do you?' she asked, flicking through the channels on the TV. 'Manny didn't want me to shoot off right away again so I said I'd stay for a while. Seeing as you've been boozing all afternoon I doubt you'd be in a fit state to be hauling my crap to the Tardis anyway. It'll give us most of tomorrow to…' She trailed off when she caught sight of the look he was giving her. '…What?'

Gordon regrouped and managed a wavering smile. 'Nothing. Just… um… you look… um… nice.'

She blinked at him for a moment. 'Right…' she half frowned, and then returned her attention back to the TV as if that last exchange hadn't happened at all. 'Well it's only going to be one night. I won't torture you any longer than necessary.' She nodded to a cot bed off against the wall. 'Manny brought that down. One of us can have the couch.'

Gordon sat down on the armchair beside the couch and smiled. 'Okay.' He was lost for words. All he could do was smile at her.

Ashley nodded. 'Well if you didn't like it you would have had to answer to Manny, and _no one_ likes to answer to Manny. I bet even that guy from the hall of mirrors would have been frightened to answer to Manny.'

Sensing that this was a joke, Gordon laughed – just a little too loudly. 'Ha, yeah. I bet he would!'

Ashley looked at him quizzically. 'Are you okay?'

Gordon nodded and smiled broadly. 'Of course I am. Fantastic.'

She half nodded uncertainly, but was distracted by Manny entering to say anything else on the subject. Manny immediately handed Gordon a glass of wine and flopped down on the couch beside Ashley.

'Well that was the last of the wine.' He sighed. 'I'm going to bed just now.'

Gordon looked at the glass in his hand. 'Um… I asked for water.'

'Yeah,' Ashley nodded. 'I don't think it's a good idea to give him any more alcohol. He's acting weird enough.'

'Well what do you want me to do about it?' Manny cried dramatically. 'I'm not here to run about after you both you know. Go change it yourself!'

Gordon started to get up, but Ashley got up first. 'I'll do it for you.' She replied. 'I don't want you demolishing the kitchen.'

Gordon watched her, mesmerised, as she took the wine and headed out of the room. In the time it took her to take the wine and move to the door, he decided that he was going to take her home with him. He was head over heels.


	9. Sleeping Arrangements

**Chapter Nine**

**Sleeping Arrangements**

Manny had finally retreated to bed after a longish ramble about how he made a mistake bleaching his hair, and had asked Ashley a few times what it was like to have red hair. She had been exhausted and had only answered with a series of grunts. Manny had eventually admitted defeat and wandered off, leaving Gordon alone with her.

For a while he hadn't known what to say to her. He had taken off his shoes (he had never been good with Converses) and also removed his tie (he had never really liked ties) and just sat back in the armchair, watching an American cop show that Ashley had left on. He racked his brain for something to say to her, but he had blanked. He had found himself doing this often since he had arrived on Earth. He had no idea what it was. Probably a weird human thing… Humans were such complicated creatures.

'It's so crap that my old house is gone,' Ashley sighed finally, much to his relief. 'I loved that house you know. Got it just the way I liked it.' She peered down into her cup of coffee – she had given up on the wine a while ago. 'Plus it means I won't be getting my bond back. I bet Manny got it all and spent it on this place.' She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the room around her. 'He's done a lot taking he was skint the last time I saw him.'

Gordon swallowed. He felt nervous about speaking now, seeing as everything he said seemed to be the wrong thing. He didn't want to blow his cover. He could have easily left, but he needed her to locate the Tardis and… well, in all honesty, the longer he sat with her, the less he wanted to leave her. 'You can stay with me.' He shrugged, hoping she wouldn't turn around and demand to know who he really was.

Thankfully, she only shrugged. 'Well yeah, you said that.' She replied, blinking lazily. 'But what happens when I get to… like, thirty-five and I want my own space?'

Gordon shrugged. 'I'll give you your own space. We have the whole of space! Is that not spacey enough for you?'

Ashley glanced to him briefly. 'Seriously?'

'Seriously.' He replied solemnly. 'I want you to stay with me.'

She cocked an eyebrow at him. 'You know what? You've been acting _really_ weird since we got here.' She sat forward and put her coffee mug down on the table. 'It's the lack of drama, isn't it? When nothing life-threatening is happening you get weird.'

Gordon clung onto the excuse. 'That's me alright. Weird.' He crossed his eyes and made the '_cuckoo'_ gesture with his finger. He stopped and grinned at her.

Ashley half smiled. 'Whatever.' She stood up and headed for the door.

'Where are you going?'

'Toilet. If that's okay with you.'

Gordon assured her that it was with an embarrassed mumble and then sat back with a heavy sigh. God this pretending-to-be-the-Doctor thing was harder than he had thought. Maybe he should have spent a little more time watching him. He had just been so excited about the prospect of finally going home that he had gotten carried away and… then he had met _her._

He stood up and moved to a long mirror on the wall. He looked closely at his face and ran his hand over his chin. No stubble – nice. He just wished he could do something about the hair. He ruffled it frantically with both hands for a few seconds, and then looked at the results. It hadn't changed position at all.

'Jesus…' Gordon muttered. 'What the hell does that guy use on his hair? Superglue?'

He straightened up and took in his whole reflection. He quickly undid the top button of his shirt. He hesitated, and then undid the next one. He readjusted his collar and half smiled, then put his handson his hips and stuck out his chest a little. The smile quickly changed to a look of alarm and he found himself unsure of what to do with his arms as Ashley returned.

'I forgot what it was like living with Manny,' she huffed, either not noticing him posing in front of the mirror or just choosing to ignore it completely. 'The bathroom smells like a hookers handbag.'

Gordon smoothed down the front of his shirt, slightly embarrassed. 'Really? Oh well I wouldn't know what one smelled like…'

Ashley sat down on the couch and picked up her coffee, turning her full attention to the TV. Gordon remained where he was for a moment, before slowly moving to the couch and sitting beside her. When she didn't say anything, he allowed himself to relax. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. She was engrossed in the TV, practically oblivious to his presence. He held his breath and slowly lifted his arm. He was just about to lie it on the back of the chair behind her head when she spoke, without taking her eyes from the TV.

'I'll sleep on the cot thing.' She said. 'I'm more used to it. And plus, your feet will probably stick off the end.'

Losing his nerve, Gordon returned his hand to his knee. 'Yeah, okay.'

Ashley finished off the last of her coffee and got up, stretching her arms above her head. Gordon watched her but tried to make it look like he was watching the TV. She let out a satisfied sigh and headed across to the cot. 'Will you turn the lamp off and stuff when you're done watching the TV?' she asked, lying down with her back to him. 'I know you don't sleep much but… well, there's nothing much else to do, is there? Night.'

Gordon picked up the remote and turned off the TV. 'I suppose not.' He sighed. He reached to the lamp and flicked it off. He sat in the darkness, and brooded.


	10. An Unlikely Passion

**A/N: Short chapters make for a longer story lol. So... short chapters there will be :P And plus... I'm too lazy to make them any longer.**

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**Chapter Ten **

**An Unlikely Passion**

Ashley woke up with a start and an unflattering snort. She wiped her hand over her mouth to discover that she had been drooling, and then pushed her mane of bright red hair from off her face. She had just had the weirdest dream that she had been back in Deadstone, only it was like she had been in a musical. She had woken up just as the Doctor and Sheriff Lockely had finished their rendition of _She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain_. She wondered how long she had been secretly insane and managed to swing her legs off the cot and sit upright. She rubbed her face with both hands, and was just about to stand up when she noticed something on the floor beside her feet. She peered out from between her fingers, and frowned.

On a blue flowery tray there was two slices of toast with jam, and a glass of orange juice. She blinked at it for a moment, and then picked up the piece of paper that was underneath the glass. She raised her eyebrow at the small picture of, what she thought was, a sun with a smiley face and a speech bubble that read '_Rise and Shine_!'

Ashley frowned in confusion. If that was from Manny it was out of character. If it was from the Doctor then that was even _more_ out of character. There was something seriously wrong going on around here. The Doctor was acting so strange, almost like he was a different person.

But that would be ridiculous.

Ashley paused in front of the mirror and grimaced at her reflection. She had forgotten to remove her eye makeup the night before and now she had huge panda rings around her eyes. Her hair was all over the place. She had creases on the left side of her face from the pillow. She had been deliberating on going straight up for a shower when she heard a strange noise.

It was the Doctor.

Laughing.

Curious, Ashley followed the sound to the kitchen and peered around the door. And there, in the middle of the kitchen, stood the Doctor and Manny. Manny was beaming happily as the Doctor adjusted the red cloth scarf around his neck. Dumbstruck, Ashley could only watch.

'It's a tricky thing,' the Doctor was telling him as he tied the scarf around Manny's neck. 'If you tie it too tight then you look strangled, and it makes your face look bigger than it is. Too loose, and then it just looks shabby.'

'You didn't strike me as the fashion conscious type.' Manny beamed up at him.

'Well there's been a few nights when I've found myself with nothing to watch but UKTV Style. But I suppose that's the bad thing about having a dodgy TV connection.'

Both of them laughed, and Ashley decided that she had to interrupt. The whole surreal scene was making her feel nauseous. She cleared her throat, and the pair of them looked around. The Doctor let go of Manny's scarf quickly and smiled.

'Morning.' He said, looking a little flustered. 'Did you sleep well?'

Ashley blinked at him. 'Were you readjusting his scarf for him?'

The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck. 'Well… yeah. I'm good with scarves.' Before Ashley had a chance to say anything else on the matter, he spoke again. 'Did you enjoy your breakfast?'

Ashley just looked at him for a moment. 'I didn't eat it.'

The Doctor looked momentarily disappointed. 'Oh.'

'But um… the thought was nice.' She didn't even know what she was talking about. The confusion was just far too… _confusing_. This couldn't possibly be the Doctor. Or was it that she was just seeing a new side to him? She hadn't known him for very long after all…

'Well I think you should go get ready,' the Doctor grinned at her. 'And I'll go and start sorting through your stuff ready for the move. Then we can go fetch the Tardis and pack it all up.'

Manny looked at him curiously. 'Do you call everything 'Tardis'?'

The Doctor looked at him questioningly. Ashley stepped in. 'Pretty much.' She went to head out of the room. 'Okay, well I'm going to go in the shower then…'

'Oh!' the Doctor cried suddenly. 'Oh I nearly forgot. I'm just popping out, I'll be two ticks.' He moved past Ashley towards the front door and she started after him.

'Where are you going?' she frowned.

The Doctor turned with a grin and an unfamiliar twinkle in his eye. He tapped his nose with his finger, and then disappeared out of the door. Ashley stood and stared at the closed door, one eyebrow cocked and one lowered. Manny joined her side and looked at the door also. He sighed and smiled a little.

'Ashley Chambers,' he sighed. 'I was wrong. You have to marry that man.'

Ashley shot him a horrified look but he didn't notice. She turned and looked at the door again with her mouth ajar, before shaking her head and heading upstairs towards the bathroom.

Something weird was definitely going on here.


	11. Relax and Release

**Chapter Eleven **

**Relax and Release**

Ashley stood still and stared with the exact same bemused expression that she had earlier when the Doctor had left Manny's. He hadn't returned to the house, but had instead phoned her and asked her to meet him in town. Not sure what his game was, she had gotten dressed and met him near the bus station. About fifteen minutes later she found herself in a place she would have never imagined going with the Doctor.

'What's the matter?' he asked, looking slightly worried. 'Don't you like bowling?'

Ashley glanced up at him, and then looked out across the lanes. The rumble of heavy balls rolling filled the air. The crash of the pins falling added to the racket every now and then. 'Well… yeah but…'

'Then what's the problem?' he beamed, striding towards the desk. 'I've already paid. We're on lane fourteen, right at the end.' He pointed. 'Do you want to go set up the scoreboard while I get the shoes? What size are you, a seven?'

'How'd you know that?'

'I'm good at guessing.' He gave her a grin and a wink. 'I'll be two ticks.'

With that, he headed off towards the desk with a subtle spring in his step. Ashley watched after him, frowning slightly, and then wandered towards lane fourteen. She passed the groups of people, feeling out of place. It felt strange being in a normal place again. Travelling through space had begun to feel normal to her now, and all of this brought back a strange sense of nostalgia that was more dizzying than satisfying. A pair of kids ran past her, screeching and laughing and she watched them go by, half frowning. It was all so weird.

She managed to make it to lane fourteen without tripping over due to lack of concentration, and she dropped heavily in front of the screen where the game scores are kept. She looked at it like it was some piece of complicated, potentially Earth-destroying equipment, and then tentatively touched the screen where it said 'New Game'.

'Here we go.' The Doctor thumped a pair of bowling shoes on top of the screen, surprising her into releasing a startled yelp. 'Size sevens for you.'

Ashley only looked up at him in bewilderment as he sat on one of the plastic seats and began to pull on his blue and red bowling shoes. She was finding it hard to register where they were and what they were doing. Maybe she was still asleep? No… No even in her dreams she wouldn't be able to imagine this.

'Why are we here?' she asked finally.

The Doctor looked up at her. 'I'm sorry?'

'Why are we bowling? We have a time machine. We can go anywhere in the universe and we're in my local bowling alley. You're wearing bowling shoes.'

The Doctor looked down at the hideous shoes on his feet and then stood, pulling off his long coat. 'So?' he asked. 'What's wrong with doing something simple for a change? Sometimes the most mundane things can be the most fun.' He picked up a bowling ball and rolled it over in his hands. 'Are you going to set up the scores then? And get your shoes on.'

Ashley watched him approach the lane and begin stretching like he was about to run a marathon. Still feeling slightly spaced out, she put both their names in the system and kicked off her boots.

* * *

'Oh God I beat you so _hard_!' Ashley laughed, skipping alongside the Doctor with a McFlurry pot in one hand and waving the plastic spoon around with the other. 'You so expected to win that, didn't you? I can tell by your face. You see that strike I got? Straight down the middle and _wham_!' She stuck the spoon in the ice cream and laughed loudly. 'Big tough Time Lord beaten by a girl.'

The Doctor looked slightly sulky, but at the same time amused by her joy at beating him at bowling. 'Well I haven't been for a while.' He told her. 'I've been out of practice.'

'That's no excuse!' Ashley laughed pushing the spoon in her mouth and left a spot of ice cream on her chin. 'I haven't been bowling since I was fourteen!'

The Doctor shrugged and glanced to her. 'Well then you were just lucky.' He put his hand on her arm and stopped her, pointing at her chin. 'You've got a bit…'

Ashley wiped at her chin, missing the ice cream. The Doctor shook his head and moved forward to put his hand on her chin, but she slapped him away. 'I don't need you cleaning my face for me,' she frowned, wiping her chin again and this time getting the ice cream. 'You're just trying to patronise me to make yourself feel better about losing. Well it's not going to work, mister. I won fair and square and you did a major _fail_.'

The Doctor smiled at her. 'Okay. You won.'

Ashley nodded. 'I know I did.'

She felt quite good about herself as well. After the initial shock of being taken to a bowling alley wore off, she started enjoying herself. Quite a lot actually, and the Doctor was more fun than usual. He had been cracking jokes and pulling faces. He showed her how to hit a strike and if he hadn't she probably wouldn't have won, but she wouldn't admit that. Despite his weird behaviour last night and this morning, which was still troubling her a little, he had been less weird at the bowling alley. Less weird and more happy. The Doctor being happier could be classed as weird really.

'Well I guess we better get on with moving my stuff to the Tardis,' Ashley sighed. 'We should have done it first, really…'

'Why?' The Doctor shrugged. 'It's only one o'clock. We have the whole day. We have all the time in the _universe_.' He beamed at her. 'There's no rush.'

Ashley shrugged. 'I'd just feel better if we did it now. Plus I don't think Manny will be happy if he has to hang around all day waiting for us to get back. Tell you what, I'll go back to Manny's and start sorting out my stuff and then you can move the Tardis to his house.'

The Doctor looked worried. 'Well um… Why don't you come to the Tardis with me… and then that'll save you walking to Manny's on your own?'

'Manny lives five minutes that way,' she pointed down the street. 'It's actually closer than the Tardis.'

The Doctor pouted. 'Can we do one thing first? Just one thing, it won't take a minute, I promise.'

Ashley cocked an eyebrow at him and then shrugged. 'Okay. I suppose. Then we _have _to go to Manny's and pick up my stuff, okay?'

There was a brief sparkle in the Doctor's eye as he smiled. 'Fine by me.' He held his hand out to her. She hesitated. Then she smiled at him and took his hand, allowing herself to be led down the street.

* * *

'Hello? _Hello_!? Someone must be able to _hear_ me!'

The Doctor sighed in exasperation, his throat sore and his back aching. About nineteen hours had passed since that Shifter, Gordon, had tied him up and left him locked in some kind of basement. He had shouted, yelled, screamed, bellowed for nineteen hours straight, but no one had come. Wherever he was, no one could hear him.

Nineteen hours gone. Only twenty-nine more hours to go.

That was too long. Far too long. He had to get out of here now, if not sooner. Gordon hadn't taken his sonic screwdriver, but there was no chance of him being able to reach it unless he got the ropes undone, and that was what he needed it for. He had tried for three hours, gave up for ten minutes or so, and then spent another two hours trying. Eventually, he gave up. He wasn't going to reach it. The only way he was getting out of this room was if someone let him out.

He knew the Tardis was still on Earth – he could feel it – and that should have settled his mind a little, but it only made him more worried about Ashley. Shifter's weren't killers and he doubted that Gordon had it in him to hurt her, but it worried him what he might be saying to her. If she thought he had left her, or if he said something awful that made her hate him…

If only he could get out of this room! He began struggling frantically, something he hadn't tried yet. He trashed and grunted, but the ropes weren't loosening. He was so busy doing this that he didn't hear the door unlocking.

'What the hell are you doing down here?'

The Doctor looked around to see a short, portly man in the doorway, looking at the Doctor with wide, confused eyes. The Doctor blinked, then grinned, and then laughed. He was still laughing as the portly man untied the ropes.


	12. Locked Out

**A/N: Three more chapters of this story but... I'm afraid the worst thing has happened... I can't think of another story for episode 8. Seriously, not one measly idea is coming up to the surface. I had a one about a dripping tap, but it's a bit too midnight and I can't think of anything to happen. So there might be a loooong wait for episode 8. Unless I get beat up with the inspiration stick. :(**

* * *

**Chapter Twelve **

**Locked Out**

The Doctor jogged down the street. His back ached and he desperately wanted a drink of water, but he had been in worse states than this. The most important thing right now was to find Gordon before he found the Tardis. One thing he had over Gordon was that only he and Ashley knew where the Tardis was parked. Hopefully Ashley had realised that it wasn't him and wouldn't take him to it.

But then again she had her moments. He wouldn't be entirely surprised if they were sitting in it right now. Gordon would need her to show him where the Tardis was, but he wouldn't take her with him. At least, the Doctor assumed he wouldn't.

Christ he hoped he wouldn't.

The Doctor breathed a sigh of relief as he turned the corner and saw his Tardis standing just where he had left it. With it safely in his sights, he stopped and allowed himself to have a brief rest. Okay, so something had kept Gordon distracted for all this time. He hoped that Ashley had figured him out and maybe trapped him or something… but that was wishful thinking.

The Doctor ran his hand over the door of his Tardis and sighed impatiently. If he could get in all he had to do was move it and then go looking for Gordon and Ashley. Easy. He could also just wait here until they came for it, but that could mean waiting a full twenty hours. He couldn't stand on a street corner for twenty hours. He had twenty hours more than Gordon thought he did, so he was going to use it. The best bet would be to find Manny.

But he didn't know where Manny lived.

'That's just fantastic…' he muttered, leaning against his Tardis with an exasperated sigh. He couldn't believe that a _Shifter_ of all things was outsmarting him. They weren't exactly well known for their wit or intelligence. If he left the Tardis there was a chance they would return while he wasn't there. He couldn't hang around for a potential twenty hours.

While racking his brain for a plan, he caught sight of someone familiar wandering down the road opposite. The Doctor narrowed his eyes, trying to place the face. When it finally clicked, he did something he didn't think he would ever do.

'Eddy!' he cried, running across the street towards the youth who had once angered him beyond believe. He waved and grinned. 'Hey there Eddy.'

Eddy looked around in bemusement. When he saw the Doctor his eyebrows shot up and he looked like he was about to turn on his heels and flee. The Doctor rose his hands.

'Whoa there, Eddy,' he told him, moving closer. 'Don't run off now. I want to ask you something.'

'I haven't bothered her,' Eddy insisted desperately. 'I did what you said. Don't beat me up.'

The Doctor rolled his eyes. 'Now really, do you think I could beat you up? You've got about a hundred pounds on me. Not that you're fat or anything, you're just… broader.'

Eddy looked at him quizzically, and still a little apprehensively.

'Just wondering if you've seen Ashley around anywhere?'

Eddy frowned. 'You're trying to catch me out aren't you?'

The Doctor narrowed one eye. 'Why would you say that?'

Eddy hesitated. 'You're not going to give me a crack?'

'Come on Eddy, I haven't got all day.'

'She was with you,' Eddy replied, shifting uncomfortably. 'I saw her on that little blonde bimbo's street earlier with you. Didn't go over though… as you know because you were there.' He winced, as if expecting a blow.

'Blonde bimbo?'

'Manny.' Eddy elaborating, relaxing a little. 'What's this about?'

'Where does Manny live?'

'You should know, you were there.'

The Doctor took a step forward. 'Where does he live?'

'Ravenstile,' Eddy said quickly, backing away a step. 'Ravenstile Crescent. Ten minutes that way.' He pointed to his left.

The Doctor patted his shoulder. 'Cheers, Eddy.' He started away, and then returned. 'No hard feelings, eh? You just really, _really_ annoyed me that day.'

Eddy nodded nervously. 'Yeah man. Whatever.'

The Doctor flashed him a grin. 'Thanks again!'

Eddy watched him jog off down the street and rubbed his face with both hands, still trembling a little.

* * *

This had to be the right door. He had knocked on fifteen doors in Ravenstile Crescent and everyone of them had been the wrong one. The Doctor knocked loudly and repeatedly, until he heard an familiar, aggravated voice telling him to chill out. A moment later the door opened and there stood Manny. Weirdly enough, he smiled.

'Oh hi!'

The Doctor pushed past him, too exasperated for niceties. 'Is she here?'

Manny frowned vaguely and allowed him to go inside. 'Is who here?'

'Ashley? Where is she?'

Manny sighed and put his hand on his hip. 'Did you have a fight?' He looked the Doctor up and down. 'Looks like she got the better of you.'

The Doctor turned around to him. 'Is she here or not?'

'No.'

'Where is she?'

Manny frowned. 'How the hell would I know? She went off to meet you about three hours ago!'

'Did she say where?'

Manny stared at him for a moment. 'You don't know where you arranged to meet her?'

The Doctor moved forward. 'Look, it's very, _very_ important that you tell me where she is if you know, okay? I need to find her.'

Manny shrugged. 'I don't know!'

There was a strange beeping sound from Manny's pocket and the Doctor looked at it questioningly. Manny pulled his mobile phone out and looked at it.

'It's a text from Ashley,' he confirmed, and then read it.

'Well?' The Doctor frowned.

Manny blinked, and then re-read the text. 'It says she's just going somewhere with the Doctor, and that she'll be back to pick up her stuff later.' He looked up at the Doctor, frowning suspiciously. 'Why would she say she was with you if she's not?'

The Doctor grabbed Manny's phone and read the text.

'Oi!' Manny frowned. 'That's mine!'

The Doctor ignored him and called the number she had sent the text for. The line was silent for a moment, and then there was a busy tone. The Doctor cursed and gave Manny his phone back. He dodged past him towards the door.

'Where the hell are you going?' Manny called after him, frowning.

The Doctor didn't reply and ran off down the street. Manny shook his head as he watched him and sighed.

'The good ones are always crazy.' He muttered, and closed the door.


	13. It All Comes Out

**A/N: I was planning this one to be in two separate chapters, but... meh what the hell, I was enjoying writing it lol. One more chapter left then xD**

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen **

**It All Comes Out**

Gordon walked through the park, a big grin plastered on his face. He walked amiably, his hands in his pockets and his face turned up a little to the sky. He had walked through this park every single day on his way to work, and he didn't think he had ever been as happy as he was right now. It was a beautiful day, he could go home any time he wanted, and he was with a beautiful girl.

Okay, beautiful might be stretching it as she _was_ human… but she was beautiful for a human.

He glanced down at her, and his smile faltered briefly. She wasn't smiling. This wasn't perfect if she wasn't smiling too. Why wasn't she smiling?

'What's wrong?' he asked.

Ashley glanced up to him. There was something wrong. She looked thoughtful and even a little wary. 'Where are we going exactly?' she asked.

Gordon smiled at her. 'It's a surprise.'

'If you're looking for a surprise in this park it normally involves being mugged.' She replied, casting a quick glance around. 'Did you move the Tardis here or something?'

Gordon shook his head. 'Nope. It's just a little surprise. You'll like it.'

He ignored her dubiousness this time and pulled ahead a little. They were nearly there anyway. He couldn't wait to see her face light up. He dodged off the gravel path and slipped through some bushes. He glanced back to see she had stopped.

'Come on.' He grinned. 'It's just down here.'

She hesitated, and then followed. They both made their way down a little bank that was hidden by the foliage form the rest of the park. Gordon moved quickly until he came to his spot. Glad that everything was still in place, he turned around and grinned.

'Ta-da!'

Ashley stopped. Her face dropped. He knew she would love it. Every human female loves picnics in the park, and he had set up the best picnic ever. They were right by a small pond which was full of wildlife, but no one ever seemed to come down here. Well, from what he had seen anyway. If was a gorgeous, sunny spot. He had wine and strawberries in a little woven hamper that sat on a red checked blanket – he had seen that on TV. Actually he was relieved that it was all still here, it had occurred to him that it could have been stolen while they were away at the bowling alley-

'What the hell is this?' Ashley demanded in a tone that he hadn't expected.

Gordon blinked, taking in her shocked and angered expression. 'What?' He frowned in puzzlement. 'It's a uh… a picnic.'

She gaped at him for a moment. 'A picnic.'

Why was she angry? It was supposed to be a nice gesture. But the look on her face… Gordon froze. In that instant he just knew that she was on to him. 'I um… I thought you liked picnics.' He blurted. He scolded himself for saying it straight away.

Her eyes lit up. Now she was _definitely_ on to him. 'I should have known as soon as I answered that phone call.' She said, backing away slowly and pointing a finger at him. 'And then when you hugged Manny. And that bloody breakfast in bed thing… and the scarf? And _bowling_?' She scowled. 'God I'm such a bloody idiot! You're not the Doctor at all!'

'Of course I am,' Gordon scoffed, but he couldn't hide his nervousness. 'I'm a… I'm a Time Lord. _The_ Time Lord.'

'Anyone could figure that out.' Ashley frowned, still edging back. 'Who the hell are you?'

'I'm the Doctor!' Gordon cried desperately. 'It's me! I just thought a picnic would be nice-'

'_Nice_?' Ashley cried. 'You think a Time Lord's idea of _nice_ is a picnic? His idea of nice would be going to see a star being born, or watching an asteroid shower, or going to the edge of the universe. Or… or something a bit more spectacular than a picnic in a crappy park!'

Gordon felt his heart thumping. 'It's me, okay? Fair enough I have been feeling weird since we landed. I don't know what it is… maybe I bumped my head or… ate something weird…' He was clutching at straws now and it was obvious she wasn't buying it. She was about to take off at any moment, he could see it in her eyes. 'Look, just hear me out…'

He made the mistake of moving towards her. She whirled around and sprinted back up the bank towards the park. He ran after her and cursed under his breath. He hated running. He caught up with her when she stumbled and grabbed the hood of her jacket. She forced her elbow backwards, right into his nose. He yelled out and let go, grabbing his nose with both hands. When his eyes cleared he caught sight of her disappearing through the bushes. He scrambled to his feet and ran after her.

Thank God she had bright red hair, or else he probably would have lost her instantly. She was a fast runner, he had to give her that. He sprinted after her, his chest feeling like it was going to explode. He knocked over a young boy on a bike who then squealed for his daddy. Daddy didn't sound too happy, and for a moment Gordon thought he was going to be getting chased as well as doing the chasing.

Fortunately for him, he didn't get chased. But Ashley was pulling ahead and he had to speed up if he wanted to catch her. After a moment he realised they were heading towards his old workplace and a thought struck him. She was heading for the Tardis! Maybe this wasn't so bad after all. The new hope gave him an extra boost of adrenaline and he ran faster.

And there it was. In the middle of the street of all places. A big blue police box. People were just passing as if it wasn't even there. Ashley headed straight for it. She was reaching in her pocket. Well of course she would have a key. If she was moving her stuff in there then she would have to have a key. Luckily for Gordon, he had one too.

She fumbled with the lock and pushed open the door. Gordon saw a flash of her terrified expression as she shut it behind her. Gordon slammed into it and took a second to catch his breath. He knocked on the door.

'Ashley, come on!' he called. 'This isn't funny! It's me!'

'If it was you then you'd have your own key to get in!' she called back from the other side. 'And you won't be able to break the door down so don't try.'

Gordon, breathing heavily, reached into his pocket and pulled out the key. 'This is ridiculous.' He called to her, pushing the key in the lock. 'It's me! And you're trying to lock me out of my own Tardis! That's just not on, Ashley.'

He pushed the door open and peered inside. He couldn't help but feel enchanted by the huge, spectacular interior, but if he looked surprised in the slightest then it would only fuel her panic. He found her and kept his gaze on her, even though it was killing him not to look around and squeal with joy. Too busy trying to compose his excitement, he didn't close the door properly behind him.

Ashley was on the other side of the control panel, peering around with wide eyes. 'How did you get his key?' she demanded.

'It's _my_ key.' Gordon told her.

Ashley frowned at him. 'Well if it is you…' She paused. 'Prove it.'

Gordon racked his brains for a piece of information he could have picked up from either her or the Doctor. He couldn't find anything decent. 'I shouldn't have to! It's me! I'm not playing these silly games with you.'

Ashley narrowed her eyes at him. 'You must be possessed or something. You've been possessed by some kind of weird… possess-y alien haven't you?'

Gordon moved to the control panel and tried to reach her, but she dodged around the other side. 'It's _me_!' he insisted.

She only frowned and dodged from his attempts to get close. They danced around the controls for a few moments. Getting tired, Gordon ducked so she wouldn't be able to see him. He waited, and then sprang up and caught her by surprise. She squealed and cursed as he grabbed her arms, but he pushed her against the control panel.

'It's _me_!' he insisted. 'Believe me, please.'

She stopped struggling reluctantly and eyed him. 'I don't believe you.' She said, frowning. 'This isn't you.'

Gordon sighed. Christ she was paranoid. But looking at her now, being this close… 'I just want to see the stars with you.' He blurted.

She grimaced, genuinely horrified. 'Don't you dare.' She breathed.

'We can travel the universe,' Gordon told her, getting carried away with himself. 'We can go to distant galaxies and find new races. We can see unbelievable things together…'

Ashley started struggling again. 'Get off me!'

Gordon sighed. 'I just want to see you smile.'

'I'll be smiling when I've smashed your face in you alien pervert! Get _off me_!'

Well this was probably his last chance. He pressed his mouth against hers. She squealed against his lips, but he ignored her. She was fabulous, and he just wanted to share this one moment with her before-

There was a bang. Gordon pulled his head back and looked around to see the Tardis door standing open, and in the doorway stood the Doctor. The real Doctor. He looked at Gordon, and then to Ashley. His face twisted into an expression of complete bemusement. Gordon opened his mouth to speak, but Ashley cut him off by quickly trusting her knee up between his legs.

The pain was so intense he thought his stomach was going to explode. He stumbled backwards and doubled over with a wheeze. He knee had come up so quickly that he hadn't even realised what had happened until he was lying on his side on the floor.

Ashley looked to the Doctor in the doorway and breathed a long, heavy sigh of relief.

'Oh thank God for that…' she sighed. 'For a minute there I really thought that was you.'

The Doctor only blinked at her in return.


	14. Free Ride

**A/N: This one seemed to end quickly :( I enjoyed writing it though lol. However I'm still unable to think of an idea for Episode 8... I'm playing around with a kind of deep sea thing, but it's not moving along well... Anyways it shouldn't take long :D**

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen **

**Free Ride**

Ashley wrapped her arms around the Doctor's neck and hugged him tight. He was still a little shocked from the sight he had witnessed upon opening the door, but he still hugged her back a little.

'Oh God it was awful, Doctor,' she whined. 'He made me breakfast in bed and took my bowling. As soon as he took me to the park and I saw that picnic I just knew it wasn't you. I'm so sorry I didn't realise earlier.' She let go of him and looked him up and down. 'Where have you been anyway? You're a mess!'

'He tied me up.' He replied. 'Hang on… he took you _bowling_?'

Ashley nodded, looking as though bowling could have been the worst possible punishment. The Doctor looked at her for a moment longer before passing her and making his way over to Gordon, who was still in the Doctor's form. He was trying to get to his feet, but was obviously still in a lot of pain from where Ashley had kneed him in the crotch. The Doctor helped him up.

'Are you okay?' he asked.

'I… I think I'm going to be sick…' Gordon wheezed.

The Doctor half smiled. 'You'll be okay. It'll wear off.'

'Why are you chatting with him!' Ashley demanded. 'Chuck him out already!'

'I'm not going to chuck him out, Ashley,' the Doctor frowned at her. 'Why would I chuck him back out there?'

Ashley put her finger to her chin and pretended to think hard. 'Um… well, maybe because _he looks just like you and he tried to kidnap me_!'

'I wasn't going to kidnap you,' Gordon told her, holding onto the Doctor's arm for support. 'If you didn't want to come I would have left you behind.'

'Oh so you were just going to nick the Tardis were you?' Ashley frowned. 'That makes it all better then doesn't it?'

'I'm sorry,' Gordon sulked, leaning against the control panel. 'I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I just really, really, _really_ wanted to go home. I can't stand it here. I miss my family and my friends.'

The Doctor nodded sympathetically and patted him on his shoulder. 'It would have been easier all around if you had just asked.'

Gordon looked at the Doctor. 'But you wouldn't have said yes.'

'Why not?' the Doctor shrugged. 'Of course I would have given you a lift home. Granted I'd be slightly irritated as it's a bit out of the way, but I would have done it nonetheless. I know what it's like to be stuck on earth.' He brushed away some dust from his suit. 'Can be mind-numbing sometimes.'

'So… he just tried to steal the Tardis, and you're going to let him stay?' Ashley asked, completely confused by the Doctor's actions. 'Did you _see_ what he was doing to me when you came in? What if you hadn't come back, eh? God knows what he could have done to me!'

The Doctor rolled his eyes at her. 'Ashley, you can make things burst into flames. I'm sure you would have been fine.'

Gordon's eyes widened. 'She can what?'

'Ah forget it,' the Doctor waved a hand dismissively. 'Lets just say she let you off lightly.'

Ashley crossed her arms and nodded. 'Damn right I did.'

Gordon looked between them warily. 'How do I know you're going to take me home? What if you're going to drop me on some desolate moon in the middle of some horrible system and leave me there all on my own as punishment.'

'Now that,' Ashley nodded and pointed her finger at the Doctor. 'That sounds like a good idea.'

'Don't be ridiculous.' The Doctor frowned, moving to the control panel. 'Now do me a favour, Gordon, and stop using my shape. It's getting a bit confusing in here.'

'Gordon?' Ashley repeated.

Gordon sighed and glanced to Ashley briefly. Then he sighed again and closed his eyes. When he opened them again Ashley's eyes were wide and unblinking.

'He… he just changed!' she cried, pointing an accusing finger at him. 'He just changed!'

'Yes, I know.' The Doctor replied. He glanced to Gordon and tilted his head disapprovingly. 'Your _real_ shape please.'

Gordon rolled his eyes. 'But it's _embarrassing _around humans.' He whined. 'They stare and point. And some scream.'

'Trust me,' the Doctor assured him. 'There'll be none of that in here. Okay Ashley?'

She was just watching Gordon, waiting for the change. Gordon sighed heavily, and then closed his eyes again. Ashley's expression slowly turned from one of curiosity to disgust, as Gordon swelled in size and turned a pasty white colour. His face flattened and his eyes pushed apart until they were on the sides of his head. They tilted and grew, then turned black. A strange frill emerged on his head, and two fingers on each hand merged with the fingers on either side to form three thick fingers. There was a thump as a heavy tail hit the floor behind him.

Gordon blinked his big eyes at Ashley. She gaped back at him. The Doctor watched her reaction as he pulled the levers, amused.

'Oh my God…' she mumbled. '_You_ kissed me?'

The Doctor tilted his head at her. 'Now Ashley,' he said like a disappointed parent. 'That's rude. How do you think you look to him?'

'She looks fabulous.' Gordon said.

Ashley's nose scrunched up. Eyeing Gordon warily, she joined the Doctor's side and tugged his arm. 'Are you sure he's… safe? He's not going to attack us or anything is he?'

'Don't be silly. Shifters are harmless.' The Doctor told her. 'They wouldn't hurt a fly. Their shape shifting is more for defence than anything else.'

Ashley was still watching Gordon, but Gordon had shuffled away, huge white tail dragging behind him. When she looked back to the Doctor, he was eyeing her dubiously.

'What?' she asked.

'Nothing.' The Doctor shook his head and turned away, but he was frowning thoughtfully.

Ashley frowned. 'What?'

He looked at her and thought for a moment, then allowed his gaze to drift behind her to Gordon who was now sulking in the corner. 'Did you… Did you lead him on?'

Ashley's eyebrows shot up. 'Excuse me?'

'Well you must have done something for him to fall head over… trotters for you.'

'I thought he was _you_!'

The Doctor paused. 'Well I got that. But still if you-'

'Oh well look at Mr Full-Of-Himself.' Ashley fumed. 'No I wasn't trying to get in your skinny pants if that's what you're thinking.'

He looked around to her in surprise.

'For the record,' she went on. 'I didn't do _anything_.' She glanced at her fingernails. 'I must just be physically alluring to some people. Or species.'

The Doctor laughed once. 'Oh yeah, that must be it.'

She shot him a look. 'I found it peculiar that I only figured out it wasn't you because he was actually being _nice_.'

'Well if he's that nice then why don't you go home with him?'

'Maybe I will.'

'You do that.'

'I might do that.'

'Good for you.'

'Yeah, I know it is.'

'Fine.'

'Fine.'

They both fell into an annoyed silence. The Doctor flicked more switches and Ashley stood where she was, her arms crossed over her chest and looking away with a frown. Gordon remained where he was in the corner, saying nothing. Finally, the Doctor spoke again.

'You know, um… when I got back?' he asked quietly. 'You said for a minute you thought it was me?'

She looked at him. 'Yeah.'

'Well…' He paused, frowning in thought. 'Would you really knee me in the crotch?'

Ashley laughed and headed away. 'If I'd have been a hundred per cent convinced it was you, Doctor, I would have turned you to ashes.' She blew him a kiss. 'I'm off to brush my teeth.'

The Doctor watched her go, half frowning, and then returned his attention to the control panel. 'Alright then Gordon. Next stop, home.'

**THE END**


End file.
